Despite its tiny size, this basement laundry room designed by Toronto-based Ingrid Oomen is big on both function and style.

The homeowner tasked Ingrid Oomen with developing a seamless design for a 70-square-foot laundry room because it’s visible through French doors off a high-traffic corridor. “This style of door was specifically chosen because it lets light in,” explains Ingrid. The designer also had to take into account the fact that the small space was going to be used as storage and a cleanup area for kids after playtime.
 

Working within a strict budget, Ingrid had to be creative with her choices: she opted for ready-made cabinets (painted to match the custom floating shelves); coated the backsplash with a durable, washable paint; and selected a basic washer and dryer. This allowed her to splurge on marble countertops. “When you use big-box-store cabinetry, it’s nice to balance it with higher-end natural stone counters,” says Ingrid.

Closed storage hides bulky items and unsightly cleaning supplies, while open shelving displays the neat necessities. “There can be a lot going on in a laundry room, making it feel like a jumble, so keeping everything white helps to unify the space,” says Ingrid.

Design advice from Ingrid
“One trick to help beautify a laundry room is to use an extra-deep kitchen sink instead of a plastic utility tub.”